'Flash' forward: Comic-Con sparks explosion of movie/TV previews

Monday

Jul 28, 2014 at 1:20 PMJul 28, 2014 at 1:28 PM

Going to Comic-Con International in San Diego is a lot of fun, and there's nothing like seeing the immense spectacle of popular culture on full-display. And while not everybody can do that, the Internet has made it easier to get some of the best tidbits and previews. This year was no exception.

The nascent DC Comics family of TV shows made a splash this year with previews for some of its new programs, including one for the “The Flash,” which doesn't' reveal much, but does give the viewer a glimpse of how the character's super speed will be handled.

But if that preview went by in, well, a flash, the producers of “Arrow,” on the other hand, were generous with an action-packed teaser that highlights the return of old characters, new villains including Batman arch-foe Ra's al Ghul (likely not played this time by Liam Neeson) and hints of a romance that certain fans have been clamoring for since the first season.

The trailer for DC's supernatural thriller “Constantine” got a warm reception from fans, who have been dubious that the hard-edged antihero — who was last played to mixed reviews by Keanu Reeves in the film “Constantine” — will translate to the small screen.

Meanwhile, Entertainment Weekly got the first preview of the surprisingly excellent Fox TV show “Sleepy Hollow,” which shows lead actors Tom Mison and Nicole Baharie making a surprise move and summoning one of their characters' deadliest foes:

Of course, the clip doesn't reveal how they survived the nail-biting cliffhanger last season, so we'll just have to wait until September to find out.

One definite fan-favorite teaser was the action-packed trailer for “The Walking Dead,” which had the show's aficionados excited for the upcoming season:

The cast and crew of British sci-fi favorite “Doctor Who” were absent from the convention for the first time in years, but that didn't stop the BBC from unveiling a cryptic new teaser for the upcoming season, the first featuring Peter Capaldi in the title role.

The teaser gives nothing away, but it does hint at the darker turn the show's producers have insinuated is ahead. But Comic-Con is a great time for studios to put out trailers, if only because so many people are online looking for them. So it's no surprise that the first trailer for “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay (Part One)” appeared online while the convention was in full swing:

And that's just scratching the surface. For example, footage from the upcoming “Avengers” sequel, “Age of Ultron,” was shown at the convention, but hasn't made its way to the Internet yet. So while sometimes it's OK to watch from a distance online, some things you still have to show up to see. (Victor D. Infante)